Spreading My Wings to Explore New Horizons

First, before I say anything else, I want to profusely thank all of the visitors who have stopped by and looked at the site. I hoped it brightened your day, educated you, or amused you.

Secondly, and mainly, I want to say that I haven't posted on this blog for a very long time. This is because I've been hammering away at college for the past four semesters, and I'm going to get my Associate's this May, thanks to my constant, hectic, school schedule.

Even though crafting, gardening, cooking, baking, and the other right side brained arts have and always will be close to me, I have my heart set on a particular one-music.

Because of this I am now seeking a career in writing film music and performing. I am excited to say that I've been accepted to my dream school for my Composition degree, and I can't get much happier than this.

I don't have the time to attend to my other hobbies and blogs as I once did, but I have not ceased doing the crafts.

If I were to pick up blogging again, I would choose to just keep up one blog, and I would aim to be more organized and regular on my posts. I would also put all of my right brain interests-music, art, crafts, cooking, baking, sewing, and writing, onto the same one. I would also probably choose a wordpress formatted blog to do it on, since it is so user friendly and tidy looking. But time will tell what appeals to me in the future.

So, in the future, possibly near, but I'm not certain, I may have a blog again. It would be described as the past paragraph stated. I thank you all for your visits-and I hope you look me up in the future! Thanks, and have a great day!

Kate

rain and other news

Right now it is raining really hard, but not in a worrisome kind of way. It's raining in a way that I would describe as comfortably settled in, steady, cats-and-dogs rain all day long kind of rain. It asks you to bake lots of breads and sweet things and to knit items to stash away for later dates and some housecleaning and other projects which might not otherwise get done if it weren't raining.

My garden and various plantings around the house are very thankful as well.

I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't been able to keep up with all of my blogs for the past year, because being a college student takes a lot-a lot more than I might have realized once upon a time. I am still taking photos of my gardening and gardening, too,  but not as intensely as before. And I don't have as much time to post them on the blog and talk about them.

This is not goodbye, exactly, but a sort of break. I am going to see how much time I can devote to this blog or not. I am still and always will be a gardener, but blogging about it may need to pause for a while until I get my schedule and priorities straight.

As for the FG (flower garden) project for the 80 year old three layered garden restoration, I have only just begun work on it-it occurs to me that a garden is a long term project-you cannot simply restore it once and be all 'ah ha! I'm done!!"

A garden is never done-and as soon as one realizes that, you will be a half more better gardener than you were before. A garden is a living, breathing thing that requires attention and has needs like a cat, dog, or person does.

Anyway, so feel free to keep browsing through my blog here, I have lots of funsy photos and corny tales.

And one day I may return, but with my insane school schedule, and diverse interests I simply cannot devote my time to this as I once did, at least not for now.

I am still able to devote time to my craft blog however, and I have even started an etsy shop to sell my crafts, too! Visit me over there:  http://knits4uandme.wordpress.com/

Here is my etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/people/knits4uandme

My facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Katkin-Crafts/100002490610165

and my Twitter: 



http://twitter.com/#!/Knits4uandme
Anyway, hopefully I'll see you guys over there!

I'm here...really.

This has been one insane semester. I've learned a lot, and I don't mean just the subjects themselves. I've learned about 11 o'clock to midnight studyathons, saying no to going out, and learning to do the same thing for hours upon hours.
I've also learned how far I can push myself to get something done. How hard I will try to make that paper perfect, how long I will rack my brains at a time. I found out that I have more stamina for working on a project than I ever gave myself credit for before.
Even though there has been crying, throwing fits, and binging on brownies, I would have never known how far I can go if I hadn't done this.
And now I want to see if I can go even farther-in academics, in kindness, in everything I do. I didn't say it was easy. I said it was and is possible.
So, blubberiness aside, I am still here. This semester is fast coming to a very busy and climatic close. You should (I should think) see me posting a lot more often after the 2-5 of May. And with luck, I may post a couple times before then. I've started a bunch of tomato and pepper trays, and flowers that I've never tried before. I also managed to grow two more apple trees. I've done a bunch, just not had the time before now (what the heck, I don't have the time even now) to talk about any of it.

Anyway, just hang in there. I know I am. Thanks!

Wince-Photos

As promised (though two days behind schedule) so, I guess that makes it not exactly as promised...oh well...the 'before' pictures. Sounds much grander than it is actually. What they really are is 'how very-very bad my garden looks RIGHT now' pictures.

But still, I need proof to myself and others how bad it is when I look back much later in the year from now.

Deep breath...here goes.

 

Above is the view from the upstairs of the first level of the garden.

2nd view of the 1st level of the garden, plus the walkway, which needs to be weeded/scraped terribly.

 Here is the brick walk at ground level. Like I said, not a pretty sight.

Our pretty little merril magnolia tree.

There's a glimpse for you of the 2nd level.

 There's a bed I attempted cleaning last fall (Nov. 2010).

 More of 2nd level. I think a long time ago, the magnolia was treated as a bush-why else would you plant it in the corner of a flower bed?

 Not that you can tell with all the leaves, but alongside that bank is actually a long flower bed.

 View from back of the 1st level.

 Bah humbug stupid trees of heaven.

 View of first level from stairs going to 2nd level.

 Need some stair repair-hey they're 80 + years old-give 'em a break. Oops, they've already had one.

 First level above pic.

 2nd level, left side as coming in from 1st.

 An herb bed overrun with lemon balm-which isn't the worst thing in the world really. But I would love to expand some more herbs.

 See all that dead bushiness? All previously lemon balm.

 We are at top of stairs of 2nd level looking into 3rd level. There is one more flight of stairs leading from 3rd level about five r six steps-leading you down the hill to the pond below.

 More 2nd level pics above and below.

 3rd level above and directly below.

 More stair work and cleaning needed.

 A very long bed in the 1st level. The corner of this bed meets with the corner of the third level, which is why the photo is placed here.

 I am so sick of these trees of heaven. Me and my brother personally lopped every one down to the ground a few years ago, to no avail. They came back in numbers and cover the entire hillside right behind the garden.

 2nd level again.

 View from that long bed I told you about into the third level.

 A nice little bank alongside the third level, and a holly hedge in desperate need of a good pruning.

 more of those...grrr...

 Another ice holly hedge that needs help. Pics of it directly above and below.

 Stairs need cleaning.

 Third level.

 2nd level again, taken from right on the bank between the 2nd and 3rd levels.

 edge of third level toward pond side.

 why is that tire there? That's a pathway, obviously. :D No, really, see the brick edging?

 View down the hill towards pond. (above pic)

 See the pond?

 Brush cleanup needed ASAP! lol

Black locust in my herb bed. Tut tut tut.

And that sums it up. There are more angles I could have taken, but I'd end up with probably over a 100 photos if I did that. With these you should at least have the gist of what I'm working against.

I'm. doing. what. again?

I've got my work cut out.